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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of an adult education pilot program |
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for certain inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.255, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (c) or any other law and in |
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addition to the number of charters allowed under this section and |
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Subchapter D, the commissioner, on the basis of submitted |
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proposals, shall grant a charter to a nonprofit entity described by |
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Section 12.256 to provide an adult education program to inmates |
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under the pilot program established under Section 493.035, |
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Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 493.035 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 493.035. ADULT EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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department shall establish a pilot program under which one or more |
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nonprofit entities provide an adult education program under |
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Subchapter G, Chapter 12, Education Code, to enable inmates |
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described by Subsection (b) to successfully complete: |
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(1) a high school program that can lead to a diploma; |
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and |
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(2) career and technology education courses that can |
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lead to industry certification. |
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(b) An inmate who is at least 26 years of age and not more |
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than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in an adult education |
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program operated under the pilot program if: |
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(1) the inmate: |
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(A) has failed to complete the curriculum |
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requirements for high school graduation; or |
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(B) has failed to perform satisfactorily on an |
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assessment instrument required for high school graduation; and |
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(2) the department approves the inmate's enrollment in |
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the program after: |
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(A) assessing the inmate's suitability for |
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participation in the program using the results of the risk and needs |
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assessment instrument adopted under Section 501.0921; and |
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(B) evaluating the inmate's conduct while in the |
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custody of the department. |
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(c) In admitting inmates to an adult education program |
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operated under the pilot program, the nonprofit entity shall give |
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priority to an inmate who has not earned a high school equivalency |
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certificate. |
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(d) The department shall issue a request for proposals from |
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nonprofit entities described by Section 12.256, Education Code, to |
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provide an adult education program under the pilot program. The |
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department shall require that each applicant identify in the |
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applicant's proposal each region of this state in which the |
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applicant is able to operate an adult education program under the |
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pilot program. |
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(e) The department shall contract with at least one |
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qualified applicant to operate an adult education program under the |
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pilot program. |
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(f) The department, in consultation with each nonprofit |
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entity that the department contracts with under this section, shall |
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identify at least three and not more than five facilities operated |
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by the department that are suitable to serve as sites for the pilot |
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program. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2024, the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice shall establish and implement the |
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pilot program required by Section 493.035, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |